Life

Bishop Sebastian was born Alexander Valentinovich Osokin on November 23, 1961 in Perm, USSR. In 1984, he graduated from the Vladimir Polytechnical Institute with a degree in industrial and civil construction and went on to serve in the Armed Forces of the USSR until 1985. From 1986 he was active in Almaty's Holy Protection Church as a server, on March 26, 1989 being ordained a celibate deacon by Bishop Eusebius of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan. Twelve days later he was ordained to the holy priesthood.

After serving as the rector of various parishes in Kazakhstan, Fr. Alexander entered the theological seminary in Alma-Ata in 1995, completing his studies there in 1997. He then entered the Moscow Theological Seminary by correspondence, graduating from it in 2003 and entering the Moscow Theological Academy, where he completed his studies in 2009.